


Time to Save You

by darkdream253



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Capes, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Fluff and Angst, Foster Care, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Child Neglect, Light Angst, M/M, Mild Language, Runaway, Smoking, Underage Smoking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-19
Updated: 2018-11-19
Packaged: 2019-08-26 02:44:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16673236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darkdream253/pseuds/darkdream253
Summary: Jason Todd and Tim Drake met in an unprecedented way. They found each other in a time slip, three years apart. When Tim learns that Jason is going to die, he tries to find a way to save him.





	Time to Save You

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be for JayTim week, but got WAY too long and had to be finished on a different day. When I finally caught up I decided to go for it and finish it. Here it is, in all its' glory. I don't know why this idea got so stuck in my head, but it became much too elaborate. Sorry if it's a little weird, I tried my best.

Timothy Drake met Jason Todd in a very unprecedented way. Jason lived next door to him, and the windows on the first floor of their houses had small awnings that almost touched.

Tim would sit out there to think, Jason would sit out there to smoke. The two met on those small awnings, separated by a gap barely five feet wide. The two would never really talk when it first started, both just doing what they did before going back inside.

It was a week before Jason got the first word in. Tim tried to catch himself whenever he stared at Jason, the guy was pleasing to the eye after all. However, one time he hadn't stopped himself as Jason commented with an exhale of smoke.

“Are you gonna just stare at me all day or are you gonna say something?”

It had startled Tim, he'd never expected Jason to notice or talk about it, but his face flushed now as he was caught.

“Sorry, I just… you're pretty handsome,” it was all Tim could think to say, but it wasn't much of an excuse.

Jason now met Tim's eyes, a sly smug plastered across his face,” Oh, am I? Pretty bold of you to say.”

Tim hadn't thought about it that way until Jason's comment, his cheeks flushing more from the embarrassment. “I-I… I didn't mean it that way, I just--”

His stammering words were cut off by a low chuckle from Jason. “Relax, kid, I was only messing with you.”

“Actually, I think we're the same age,” Tim corrects Jason, who took another drag off his cigarette.

“No shit,” Jason looked genuinely surprised about this information,” You're older than you look, kid. Want a light?”

“No, I don't smoke,” Tim waved off the carton Jason offered as he answered,” I've been coming out here for more than a week without ever lighting a cigarette, why would you think I want one now? Plus, I'm not old enough, which you should know.”

“Don't care about the age, just thought maybe you're a once in a while kinda guy,” Jason's shoulders shrugged as he explained his thinking.

“Well, I'm not that kind of guy,” Tim deadpanned at the other teen.

“Then what kinda guy are you?” Jason waggled his eyebrows at him as he asked.

Tim connected the dots as he realized this was Jason's ‘subtle’ way of trying to get to know him. It made Tim's face flush again at the thought of a cute guy wanting to get to know him. Names were exchanged for the first time shortly after and their conversations continued for many days, the two becoming very close up on those awnings.

It had been a couple of weeks when they started talking that Tim began to notice something strange. First, he tried to visit the house one day. He didn't want it to seem weird that he wanted to see Jason on more than just an awning, and had come up with a good excuse. He had one of Jason's favorite books, one he hadn't gotten around to reading, and was going to say he wanted to read it with him where it wouldn't be damaged.

After the third knock when nobody answered, a woman next door working on her garden piped up,” No one lives there, hasn't for quite some time.”

“What?”

“Yeah, ever since the accident the house has been vacant. The family that lived there wasn't the best off and left shortly after it happened. Whole thing was tragic really.”

Tim thanked the woman and headed back to his own house next door, not sure what to think. Eventually, he decided the woman must have gotten the houses mixed up, because he knew Jason lived there. He must have simply not been home. He met Jason up on the awning later that day and decided to ask him.

“Actually, I live here with my foster family,” Jason spoke between drags of his cigarette,” My dad is in jail and my mom is an addict who can't take care of me, so social services decided I would be better off in the system. Which is bullshit, the whole thing is. None of the kids here want this shit. They want a family, not temporary living.”

“Well, then maybe they weren't home earlier? No one answered the door.”

“They just don't like visitors unless it's a government official coming to give them a check,” Jason explained,” They're not bad people, they take care of us, they just only do it to get the money.”

“Oh.” Tim couldn't come up with a better response. He wasn't sure what to say after hearing that, but he was a bit upset that he would never really be able to see Jason anywhere but on top of the awnings.

Jason must have picked up on it, because he spoke again in a reassuring tone,” Hey, don't worry about it. In three years, I'll be able to get out of this shit hole and live on my own.”

That didn't really raise Tim's spirits, but he tried not to let it get to him too much. He decided not to bother asking about whatever accident that woman was talking about, she was clearly wrong. Instead, he decided to tell Jason about the book he planned on reading and the subject changed quickly, Jason clearly excited about sharing the story with Tim.

It was another month before Tim noticed the second weird thing. It was another day out on the awning and Tim had started another book Jason suggested that Tim hadn't read, having already finished the first. Jason usually started off the conversation by asking about how far Tim had gotten, but not today.

“Man, can you believe the shit that happened across the street last night?”

“Why, what was last night?”

“You mean to tell me you didn't hear that? Shit, the cops were so loud I thought they'd wake up the whole fucking neighborhood.”

“I didn't hear anything about it,” Tim was a bit concerned now,” What happened?”

“Apparently it was a drug bust,” Jason told him,” Woke up just about everyone. Your mom was out there, I talked to her--”

“Wait,” Tim couldn't help but interrupt Jason,” My dad and I moved out here because the family funds started to decline after my mother's death. It couldn't be my mom you talked to. Maybe one of the neighbors?”

“She said she lived there,” Jason looked worried now,” Fuck, I hope you didn't get robbed or some shit. I thought she lived there so I didn't stop her when she went into your fucking house. God, I'm so fucking stupid.”

“It's alright, we didn't get robbed,” Tim tried not to seem worried as well,” She must have left after realizing this wasn't her house, because nothing is missing. Still a bit weird that I slept through a drug bust.”

“Maybe your a strong sleeper?” Jason suggested as though that were a real answer.

The whole thing didn't sit well with Tim, why did one of their neighbors think she lived there? And how did he sleep through something so loud? It ate at him and so he decided to look it up, but what he found was surprising. The only thing he found about a drug bust across the street happened three years ago.

He thought maybe it was a practical joke on Jason's part, though Jason didn't seem like the type to use something so serious as a joke. He didn't want to think the worst of Jason like that, but he also couldn't come up with any other reason why Jason would bring it up.

So he decided not to confront Jason about it. After all, there was no harm done. Instead, he just continued like nothing happened, growing closer and closer to Jason with time. He started to realize that this was more than just friendship for him as he started going out there more, excited to see Jason everyday.

He felt stupid that they never bridged the gap between the awnings. It was Jason who suggested they didn't, 'more romantic that way’ were the exact words he used. Tim knew he was joking, but to him it really was romantic going out there and talking to Jason everyday.

He just wished that it could be more. That he could jump over there and hug him, or hold his hand, or just be close to him. But it was always Jason who suggested they live in their separate worlds, close but never close enough.

It had been almost a year of this when Tim finally got the last piece of weird information that put the whole puzzle together. He noticed a well-dressed woman in front of Jason's house, putting Flowers on the side of the road. It made him think back to the accident the neighbor had mentioned, though he hadn't really thought about it since that day. He decided to ask her about it, standing near the edge of the curb to talk to her.

“Hi, sorry, I noticed you were putting flowers here, I wanted to ask about what happened.”

“Oh, of course,” she seemed to compose herself, wiping her cheek and straightening her button-up,” I was the case worker for the foster family that used to live here. A few months before you moved in, one of them was hit by a car. The couple who cared for the boy were distraught, and felt they weren't fit to care for the children anymore. They asked for them to be moved elsewhere. They left the house after all the kids were gone, I don't think they could afford it anymore.”

Tim’s brows furrowed, unsure of how to process the new information. “Was there another foster family living here before the one that's here now?”

“No, you must be mistaken. This house has been empty since the accident. No one lives there now.”

“But I know one the kids who lives there,” Tim was insistent now, trying to make heads or tails of what this woman was telling him,” I talk to him everyday, you must know him if you work in foster care. His name is Jason Todd.”

The woman looks awestruck for a moment before anger takes over her features. “Is this some sort of joke?”

“What do you mean?”

“Jason Todd was killed in a car accident,” she explained, hot tears now running down her cheeks,” I came here to leave flowers because he died one year ago today. I don't think it's funny that you're joking around about this.”

Tim didn't know how to respond to the information. Jason Todd has been dead for a year. Even as it ran through his head so many times, he still couldn't believe it. The woman stormed off as he tried to process everything he just learned about Jason. He wondered how he even met Jason in the first place. Was he a ghost or was something else going on? It was only when he thought about the drug bust Jason mentioned that he started to realize what might be going on. It made him doubt and think about skipping a day with Jason, but he decided it would be better to ask him about all this.

He wasn't sure how to bring it up once he was out there, letting Jason talk for awhile before he confronted him,” Do you remember that drug bust you mentioned last year?”

“Jesus, that was a while ago,” Jason snuffed out his cigarette as if to give Tim his full attention,” Yeah, I remember. Why are you bringing that up now?”

“It happened four years ago according to the news articles,” it seems Tim had lost Jason as a look of sheer confusion was all he saw,” This might seem like a weird question, but what year is it?”

“2013. Look, Tim, what is this about? Are you trying to mess with me? 'Cause this shit isn't funny.”

“It's not 2013 though, it's 2016,” Tim still couldn't believe what he heard, but it proved exactly what he thought,” The house you live in has been empty for about a year, ever since one of the foster kids living there died.”

“The fuck?” Jason was on his feet now, pure rage the only thing on his features. “That's not fucking funny, Timmy. I think I'd know if one of my siblings died or if my family moved out of my fucking house. This is some fucked up shit and you need to stop.”

Jason usually used the more childish name to tease Tim, knowing that it got under his skin to have a name that sounded like a ten year old. It wasn't meant to be teasing this time, Tim had never seen Jason so mad, even after a bad day with his foster family.

“I never said it was one of your siblings,” Tim stared intently into Jason's eyes,” It wasn't one of them who died. It was you, Jason. You're the one who died, last year in 2015.”

Jason went wide-eyed and then ground his teeth. “This isn't fucking funny anymore. I'm not fucking playing this sick game. I'm gonna come over there and your gonna have three seconds to explain yourself before I hurt you.”

Tim was expecting the anger, he just wasn't expecting it to be this bad. Jason approached the gap, ready to jump it without a second thought. The second he moved across the gap, he was gone. No angry, much bigger than him teen looming above him. The space where he'd been was just empty. Tim wondered if that was part of the deal. If they could meet and talk across time, but never actually be close enough to touch despite the small gap. Tim took the opportunity to move to the other awning.

The window opened, left unlocked from whoever was in the room last and he absently wondered if it was Jason. It opened into an empty hall, before he numbly moved through the rest of the house. Everything was the same, all the rooms empty. Seeing it first hand was something completely different than hearing it from other people. The house was abandoned after the death of the person he'd gotten to know so well. He found himself crying in there, thinking of Jason who he only just now realized that he was probably in love with.

He went back to his own awning after composing himself, looking back to see Jason leaning up against the side of his house. He was holding his legs to his chest like a scared child, something Tim had never seen him do. Jason had always been too tough for that sort of thing.

“You fucking disappeared,” Jason was quiet and didn't move when he spoke,” I thought it was a fucking joke and then you were just fucking gone. I wasn't even angry anymore, I just wanted to know where you went. I knocked on the door, but you weren't inside, just that lady from before. She said she lived alone, that there was no Tim Drake who lived there. What the hell is going on, Tim?”

“Have you ever heard of time slips?” Jason's look told him that it was a stupid question and he continued,” I think these awnings, for some reason, are in a time slip. That we're meeting across two different times, three years apart.”

“That doesn't make any fucking sense,” Jason moved a bit now, letting his legs slide away, allowing Tim to see his face,” I mean, why the fuck would this shit happen to us? I just learned I'm going to fucking die in two years and I can't even fucking do a goddamn thing about it. I can't even fucking touch you.”

“Maybe you can,” Tim suggested and Jason looked at him like he was crazy,” I mean, we haven't actually tried, maybe we can still touch.”

Tim reached out his hand across the gap, stretching it about half of the way. He asked Jason,” Can you still see it?”

“Yeah, I can,” Jason answered, staring at the outstretched limb like it might vanish if he looked away.

It took Jason awhile before he reached out his own hand, meeting Tim's in the middle. The hands looked as though they were touching, but Tim could feel nothing against his skin. There was no feeling of another person there, just the empty air.

“Well, it was worth a shot,” Tim pulled his hand back to his side,” But who knows? Maybe we'll find a way eventually. Maybe this is happening to us because I'm supposed to figure out a way to bridge that gap and save you.”

“Maybe.”

Jason sounded like he didn't believe that and he didn't talk the rest of the time they were out there. Tim went in when it started getting a little too cold to handle, but Jason didn't budge. Tim went in through his window and looked out as he closed it, only to see Jason wasn't there despite the fact that he definitely hadn't moved. It was going to take some time to get used to this new revelation, but Tim didn't want to give this up.

Over the next months, Jason tested the boundaries of their time slip extensively, seeming intent on meeting Tim on the other side of the gap. Tim didn't complain, he liked that Jason seemed up for anything to see if he could get to Tim.

Jason had found out that as long as he was still touching his own awning, he could stretch himself across the gap to Tim's own and Tim could still see him. When he tried to use a board to get across, however, he disappeared the second both feet touched the new surface. Jason had tried taking a small piece of shingle with him before jumping over to Tim. That drew the conclusion that once something was removed, it was no longer actually part of the awning.

Jason had thrown a couple of books across the gap to Tim, ones he had in his room. Yet when Tim tried to throw something to him, only Tim could see it sitting on the awning. Tim figured it was because the object didn't technically exist in Jason's time, so he couldn't actually touch it, while anything from Jason's time would still exist in his.

Jason kept trying, no matter how many times he failed to reach Tim's awning with Tim still being there. It was actually admirable how hard Jason tried, though Tim was working on his own project.

He'd been looking up time slips and how they worked, in order to figure out a way to save Jason's life. He could never find anything conclusive, mostly stories and theories without solid evidence. Whatever was happening between him and Jason was something unique.

It had been another a year since they found out about the time slip that Tim noticed Jason had stopped trying to bridge the gap. He never tried anything new, not really doing anything else they tested either. He also talked less and mostly just sat there while Tim did the talking.

“What is up with you lately?” Tim confronted Jason after almost a month of the cold shoulder. “Did I do something wrong? You're not trying to cut yourself off because you know that it's almost time, are you?”

Jason didn't say a word, just took another deep inhale of his cigarette. Tim had noticed he'd been smoking more too. He wondered where he even got the cigarettes since he wasn't old enough to buy them, but didn't think on that too much.

“You're never this quiet for this long,” Tim pressed the subject,” Come on, Jason, just tell me what's wrong.”

“Everything is wrong, okay?” Jason practically shouted, the first words he'd said to Tim in some time. “There's a clock ticking down over my head and I don't want to drag you down with me. I mean, aren't you tired of it? Of knowing that I'm gonna disappear one day without ever really meeting you? Without giving you a real goodbye?”

“A real goodbye?” Tim wasn't sure about Jason's meaning, but he'd clearly struck on the core of the subject as the teen across from him flinched at the question.

“Shit, I didn't mean to say it like that,” Jason didn't meet Tim's eyes now as he continued,” I mean, I don't even know if that's what you want, I was pushing what I want onto you.”

“What do you want, Jason?”

The question had Jason visibly shaking. It was clear that there was something he wanted to say, but he was too scared to say it. Tim didn't push him, knowing that he would say it when he was ready.

“Fuck, I mean, I didn't want to tell you like this,” Jason ran a hand through his hair,” Not sure I wanted to tell you at all after finding out we can't even touch. After all, I can't really give you anything and I'm gonna die before I even get the chance to.”

Tim hated it when Jason got on the subject of his death. Jason could rant on for hours about how fucked up it was and it always hurt Tim to see him like that. He hadn't found a way to save him yet, but he wasn't going to stop looking. But right now, he just looked at Jason, ushering him to continue without pressuring him by forcing it out of him.

“I've been thinking about you a lot lately,” Jason finally said, as if that answered all of Tim's questions,” And I think I'm fucking head over goddamn heels for you, but I can't do shit about it.”

Tim was silent, sure that his heart had stopped beating and his throat had closed off. He was sure he was going to die from those words, sure that he must have imagined it because why would Jason Todd like him? He was just a scrawny little nerd with nothing going for him and Jason could probably have anyone he wanted.

“Jesus fuck, are you still with me kid?” Tim was roused from his trance by Jason's voice. “I knew you probably wouldn't swing that way, but I didn't think you'd just stop talking to me either.”

Tim hadn't thought of a response, hadn't even thought he'd truly heard what Jason said. He needed to say something, but he had no idea what. Thoughts ran through his head, but none of them left his lips. He just sat there as Jason probably thought that Tim hated him for his confession.

“Well, guess I'll just stop bothering you then,” Jason looked disappointed as he turned and opened his window.

“I love you,” Tim forced the words from his throat when Jason had one leg through the open window, about to disappear from Tim's life until the next time he came out onto that awning.

Jason pulled back out, closing the window behind him. He sat back down and stared at Tim silently, as if the explanation were just written on Tim's face.

“I mean, at least I feel like I do,” Tim provided, tense thinking about what Jason might say to this,” I think I've known for a little while. I've definitely had a crush on you for a long time, but I realized I'm pretty sure it's love shortly after we found out we're in a time slip.”

“Well fuck, guess we really fucked up then.”

“Yeah, I guess we did,” Tim laughed a bit,” Falling in love with someone you can't touch. We must be the stupidest people on the planet.”

Jason laughed with him and the tension Tim felt from his confession eased away.

“So what now? Where do we go from here? I'm gonna die in a few months and we've never even held hands, let alone kissed.”

“I don't know.” Tim wasn't sure he could answer that question. He wanted nothing more than to jump over there and hold Jason, but he knew that was impossible.

Jason slid to the end of the awning, holding his hand out towards Tim. Tim followed suit, getting his hand close enough to touch Jason, but not feeling anything. He wondered if he stretched a bit more that his hand would go straight through Jason's, like it was an illusion.

Jason's hand dropped before he could try, not that he wanted to. He preferred to believe that Jason was really there, not somewhere Tim could never reach him. He wished it were that simple.

“I'm working on the whole 'going to die’ thing,” Tim told him, letting his own hand fall,” I've been thinking about it a lot actually, but I'm still working out how to fix this.”

“I don't know if you can,” Jason dropped back, now lying down on the awning,” We might just have this time and that's it. Life is fucking cruel like that.”

Maybe Jason was right, but Tim wasn't ready to give up. He continued looking, even as Jason had just about given up on stopping this. Tim knew he still had time, he'd practically been counting the days since the social worker had told him the day Jason had died. He knew that somehow, he would find a way to do this. His research took up a lot of time, but he still came out onto the awning as often as he could.

Jason had taken to setting up pseudo dates. He'd make snacks that could stand the test of time, like peanut butter granola bars and soda. He'd throw some over to Tim and they'd eat the snack together. It wasn't the most romantic thing, but Jason had said this was the closest they'd ever get to a real date and he was going to take what he could get. Tim actually enjoyed what time they had together. It wasn't typical dating, but he enjoyed it. Then came a day when Jason didn't plan one of their 'dates’.

“The lady next door moved out,” Jason told Tim,” There's a for sale sign out front. Is it getting close to that time?”

Tim didn't want to answer. He didn't want to tell Jason he could count the number of days left with his fingers. He didn't want to admit it because he didn't want it to be real. He hadn't even found a way to save Jason yet.

“It's still a little while,” Tim lied, trying his best to give a reassuring smile.

“Fucking sucks that I have to think about this shit,” Jason ran a hand through his hair,” Most seventeen year olds don't have to think about when their going to die.”

“Well, we're not normal seventeen year olds,” Tim shrugged,” I told you it would work out, and I meant it. Just don't think about it too much.”

That seemed to cheer Jason up a bit, but the smile on his face just made Tim's heart sink a little. Six days was all they had left. How was he supposed to save Jason in that time?

Tim hardly went out for five out of the last six days. He'd wanted to do as much research as he could before it was too late. Searches yielded nothing and when the last day came, Tim didn't even bother. There was no way he was going to find the answer anymore, so he just decided to spend the last of his time with Jason.

He'd gone out on the awning earlier than usual that day, hoping to catch Jason as soon as he came out. He'd brought a book to read while he waited, but that was put to the side when he saw someone pacing in front of Jason's house. When Tim looked harder, it almost looked like it was Jason, but that wasn't possible. The only place he could see Jason was on the awning. There wasn't any way it could be Jason.

Before he could think on it too much, the person moved toward the house. Maybe someone finally coming to see if the house could be sold? Tim wasn't sure, but he was so distracted by this that he didn't notice Jason had come out until the window snapped shut.

Jason was carrying a duffel bag with him as he sat down at the edge of his awning,” I'm gonna run away.”

Tim felt his throat tie itself in a knot. Maybe that's why he'd been out there when he died, because he was running away. Tim needed to try and convince Jason not to go, but he couldn't get the words out.

“I mean, maybe this is how I can be saved,” Jason said,” If I'm not here I can't die, right? I've been thinking about running away for awhile now, but what you said the other day convinced me. Maybe that's how you change my fate or whatever.”

Tim wanted to protest, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get any words past the lump in his throat. This wasn't what would save him, this would be what caused his death.

“Listen, I have a friend's place I can stay until I can come back and find you,” Jason continued his plan,” I just wanted to say goodbye before I left.”

Tim couldn't find the will to force the words out, to shout at him to stop. Jason turned away from him to jump down off the awning. Then his feet touched the ground below him. His feet were planted firmly on the ground and Tim could still see him. Then a revelation hit him. The person in front of the house had really been Jason, Tim had somehow actually made it to Jason's time. Something about this day had allowed him to jump across time.

He was shocked as he watched Jason walk toward the street, the slightly busy street with speeders who didn't pay attention. He moved when Jason was halfway to the street. He jumped down as quickly as he could, running after Jason. He knew that this was it, this was how he saved him. Jason had just gotten into the street when Tim wrapped an arm around him and pulled him back to the curb.

Jason hit the ground hard, the sound of screeching tires and a car horn now filling the street. He saw an SUV that had just skidded to a halt in the street, the tires marks starting right where he'd been standing just a second ago. He looked to see the person that had dragged him out of the street, but when he saw no one was there, he thought of Tim. Maybe he'd finally figured out a way to save him.

The driver got out of the SUV and came over to Jason,” Oh, God, are you alright? I wasn't paying attention. I almost hit you. What about the other kid that was with you? What happened to him?”

Jason was trying to think of an answer when doors started opening and he heard the sound of his foster father's voice. Jason just grabbed his bag and ran after hearing him, ignoring it as his foster father shouted after him. He made it to his friends house without any other incidents. He'd already told Roy he wanted to crash here, so he got a warm welcome when he entered the apartment.

Roy was a couple years older, so he'd managed to get his own place, albeit it was a cheap apartment that he could afford on minimum wage. Jason's foster parents didn't know about it either, which was a plus. And Jason didn't care, he just needed somewhere, and right now someone to talk to. He told Roy the whole story of Tim Drake and how he'd saved his life. Roy seemed to believe him, so he managed to talk his friend into doing some recon for him.

Apparently, rumors spread through the neighborhood that the person who saved Jason had died since he was never found. That became the 'block tragedy’, and since no one could name the savior, Jason was the one more talked about in the stories. The rumors had reached Jason's case worker eventually, but the only information she got was that Jason was involved in a car crash and someone had died. So when his foster parents said they wanted to give the other kids back to the system for failing a child, she assumed that it was Jason who died.

His foster parents had simply thought that having a child run away meant they failed as parents. They never even reported him as a runaway, which helped the story get as bad as it did. The Drakes moved in a few months after the accident, just like Tim had told him. Jason wanted to just go over there now, but he knew that Tim had to meet him the way he did if this was going to work. So he had to wait three years with Roy.

It was a hard three years when all he wanted was to go back and see Tim. He tried to distract himself from running back there too early. He managed to get a job at a bookstore to help with rent and helped out around the house. He bought the groceries and did the cooking. He helped take care of Lian, Roy's daughter. Anything he could do that would keep his mind off of Tim.

When he finally made it through the three years, it almost felt like a dream. That if he went back, the illusion would be broken and he'd have to face reality. It was Roy who convinced him that maybe life could be like the movies and motivated him to go.

He stood just two houses down from Tim's house, watching it closely. This was the day and Jason knew he couldn't get too close and risk interfering. He had to wait for this thing to run its course before he could see Tim.

After awhile, he saw Tim. He was bolting toward the street at top speed. Jason felt his heart leap to his throat when he saw the look of desperation on Tim's face. Watched as he got to the street. Held his breath as he pulled someone back that Jason couldn't see.

Tim landed in the grass, the air knocked out of his lungs. The silence of the street contrasted what had just happened. He expected the sound of tires or a car horn. There was nothing. He got himself together when he noticed Jason wasn't there.

He looked around, searching for his friend. Tim caught notice of someone watching a couple houses away. Jason waved from his spot, happy to see that Tim was alright. Tim was confused by him, someone who looked like Jason but just a bit older.

Jason approached the now younger than him teen, offering a hand to help him up and a few words,” Looks like you finally figured out how to save me.”

Recognition lit up Tim's face immediately. He shot upright and wrapped his arms around Jason, holding onto him as if for dear life.

“I can't believe you're alive,” tears started to dot Tim's eyes,” I really thought I wouldn't be able to save you.”

“Well, you managed to do it, kid,” Jason chuckled,” I'm here, in the flesh.”

Tim then pulled back from the hug, clearly just now noticing something important,” I can touch you now. I just hugged you.”

“Finally found a way over to you, no more three year gap between us,” Jason said, but had to correct himself,” Well, not a time gap anyway. Age gaps are a different story.”

“I'm so glad you're here,” Tim buried his face in Jason's chest.

“I'm glad I'm here too,” Jason put his arms around Tim as well now,” It was hard, waiting three years so I could catch up to you. Maybe next time you get us stuck in a time slip, don't make it so long.”

They both laughed now, holding each other in the middle of the sidewalk. After a moment, Tim lifted himself up on his toes slightly. Jason bent his head down to meet him halfway. And the two of them shared their first kiss.


End file.
